VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #3455/01 3031427
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291427Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0151

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003455 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO ECA/A/E/NEA, NEA/PPD, NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL IZ
SUBJECT:  ECA A/S GOLI AMERI'S MEETING WITH IRAQI HIGHER EDUCATION 
OFFICIALS 
 
¶1. (U) Summary. Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Barham Salih hosted A/S 
Goli Ameri and Iraq's most important higher education officials for 
a roundtable discussion in his home on October 20. The participants 
from both countries stressed their commitment to revitalize higher 
education in Iraq and their readiness to act. The DPM expressed 
support for a higher education council and a willingness to match 
Fulbright scholarships one-for-one, doubling the size of the current 
Fulbright program in Iraq. Higher education officials also expressed 
their desire to establish institutional linkages between U.S. and 
Iraqi universities. End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On October 20, senior education officials of the Government 
of Iraq (GOI) met with Goli Ameri, Assistant Secretary of State for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. The GOI team was led by Deputy 
Prime Minister Dr. Barham Salih and included Dr. Abdul Dhiab Ojaili, 
the Minister of Higher Eduation and Scientific Research; Dr. Taqi 
Al-Musawi, President of Mustansiriyah University; Dr. Adnan 
Al-Janabi, President of Nahrain University; Dr. Qahtan Al-Khazraji, 
President of University of Technology, Dr. Mahmoud Shakir, Head of 
the Technical Education Commission; and Dr. Zuhair Humadi, Advisor 
to Vice President Adel Abd Al-Mahdi and Director of the Prime 
Minister's Iraq Education Initiative. The U.S. side was represented 
by A/S Goli Ameri; Counselor for Public Affairs, Ambassador Adam 
Ereli; ECA Policy Advisor, Rick Ruth; Cultural Affairs Officer, 
Helen LaFave; Fulbright Program Manager, Jay Taylor; and Assistant 
Cultural Affairs Officer, Jinnie Lee (note taker). 
 
¶3. (U) DPM Barham Salih convened Iraq's leading players in higher 
education.  He opened the discussion stating the people he invited 
were ready to engage on promoting and improving higher education in 
Iraq. He stated there may be disagreement on U.S. policy but none at 
the table doubted the value and quality of American education, or 
the fact that Iraq's future is tied to the success of its education. 
He spoke of Iraq's role as the center of higher education in the 
Middle East during the seventies and the desire to regain their 
status as quickly as possible. He stressed the importance of 
restoring linkages between U.S. and Iraqi institutions of higher 
education. 
 
¶4. (U) The Minister of Higher Education stated there are 25 public 
universities, 25 private universities, and 40 technical/professional 
schools in Iraq, including the Kurdistan region. There are a total 
of 550,000 students, about a fifth of whom are post-graduate 
students.  His top priorities are international accreditation 
issues, curriculum development, and collaboration in research. He 
stated repeatedly that GOI is willing to pay, they just want the 
U.S. to provide expertise and facilitation. 
 
¶5. (U) The President of Nahrain University reiterated the group's 
desires to see Iraqi education return to its pinnacle in the 
seventies. He stressed the importance of exchanges with U.S. 
institutions. He stated "Iraq has money, the U.S. just needs to give 
us opportunities."  He mentioned linking Iraqi universities with 
American universities, matching departments based on specialties. 
 
¶6. (U) The President of Mustansiriyah University, which claims to be 
the world's first university in the world (established 1227) and the 
second largest in Iraq, said his staff is in desperate need of 
training. He also emphasized the importance of Internet access, 
connection to U.S. institutions, and access to their virtual 
libraries. He stated student and faculty exchanges were critical to 
democracy; "Students need to see democracy to believe it." A 
physician by profession, as a specific deliverable, he requested 
access to the National Institute of Health's online resources. 
 
¶7. (U) The DPM and higher education leaders definitely share a 
clear, unified mission with specific initiatives: 
-- Establishment of a Bi-national Commission for Higher Education 
-- Increasing the number of educational exchanges, with GOI sharing 
costs 
-- Establishing institutional linkages with U.S. universities and 
colleges 
-- Access to online education, libraries and other resources on the 
Internet 
-- Training and train-the-trainer programs, especially for 
management of higher education institutions 
-- Assistance with GOI scholarships - seeking relief on visas, 
receiving assistance for trained educational advisors and 
counselors 
 
¶8. (U) A/S Ameri thanked the group for their insights and proposed 
bringing the Iraqi officials together with the higher education 
community in the U.S. to present firsthand their needs and ambitions 
for Iraq. A/S Ameri offered to convene U.S. higher education 
professional associations (AAU, AACU) in D.C. to lay the groundwork 
for partnership with Iraqi universities. She also stated her support 
for a higher education council similar to the one in India, at which 
point the DPM looked at the Minister of Higher Education and stated 
that the Cabinet would find the funds and it was his directive to 
get this mechanism established. 
 
¶9. (U) Conclusion: With improvements in security, Iraqis are ready 
to focus on education. GOI is willing to commit not only their 
efforts but funds to these initiatives and seeks U.S. support and 
expertise. We look forward to working with ECA to implement 
Fulbright matching funds by GOI, to establish a higher education 
council and to forge linkages with U.S. universities. 
 
CROCKER